Family struggles to obtain Vallejo police report in 2010 shooting

Andrea Jarreau-Griffin, center, speaks in front of Vallejo City Hall about the Dec. 2010 death of her son, Guy Jarreau, in an officer-involved shooting. Jarreau-Griffin, of New Orleans, was seeking support for a class-action lawsuit against alleged Vallejo police brutality. (Jessica A. York/Times-Herald)

The mother of a Vallejo man that police shot and killed in December 2010 is trying to legally compel the city to share copies of the incident police report.

The move by Andrea Jarreau-Griffin of Louisiana also is part of an effort to sue the city over alleged police murder and brutality.

On the City Hall steps Monday afternoon, Jarreau-Griffin said she wants to obtain the full details of her son and "best friend" Guy Jarreau Jr.'s death.

Family and friends say Jarreau, a 34-year-old Napa Valley College student, was taping an anti-violence video when police responded to reports of a man waiving a gun on Sonoma Boulevard. Accounts differ on the details that day, but police say an officer reportedly chased and later shot Jarreau in a nearby alley in self defense. Police reports say Jarreau had a gun, while family said he only held a cup.

Findings from an investigation by the Solano County District Attorney's Office, released in April, state that the officer involved "acted lawfully," in regards to criminal matters, backed by a witness' report that the officer "had no choice" in shooting Jarreau.

Later Monday, Interim Vallejo Police Chief Joseph Kreins described to the Times-Herald an intricate series of conditions under which police reports are available publicly, and to whom. He said police staff members are sent to public records training of two eight-hour classes to get the details right.

"We release whatever information that we believe we're responsible for releasing under the law," Kreins summarized.

At City Hall, Jarreau-Griffin and family were joined by Fresno-based Rev. Floyd Harris to further call for public support to launch a general class action lawsuit against alleged misconduct by the Vallejo Police Department.

"I call on Vallejo, California to stop stepping back and start stepping forward," Jarreau-Griffin said. "There is no justice that can happen, unless you say enough is enough."

The Vallejo Police Department has seen a spike in officer-involved shootings this year, with eight incidents total, five of them ending in the death of a resident.

Bernice Spencer, cousin of Guy Jarreau, has been a semi-regular fixture at city government meetings in recent years, speaking out about the incident. After Monday's news conference, Spencer said she had felt alone in her efforts, until this year's officer-involved incidents caused others to hear what she has been saying.

"We're asking for all local victims who have been victimized brutally by the police," Spencer said, standing with a small group of speakers on the City Hall steps. "We have to make a change. In order to do that, we have to stick together and we have to fight back."

Jarreau-Griffin, who makes regular trips to Vallejo to hold vigils in her son's honor, said she will not give up and go away. She added later that she is seeking mandatory cameras for all police officers, better tracking of existing recordings involving officer-involved shootings and an independent police review panel, not under control of the city -- among other requests.

Recently, the City Council backed a request by Mayor Osby Davis to consider buying body cameras for all police officers and video cameras for all patrol cars. The move followed a controversial Sept. 2 officer-involved shooting death of Mario Romero, 23.

A Solano County Superior Court hearing on Jarreau-Griffin's legal request for Jarreau's police report is set for Nov. 9.

For more information on the class action lawsuit, contact Bernice Spencer at 712-4197.

Contact staff writer Jessica A. York at (707) 553-6834 or jyork@timesheraldonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @JYVallejo.